Children with disabilities celebrated on Children’s Day

In Vlore Area Development Programme, located in south-western Albania, proceeds from a children’s clubs first newsletter was donated in partnership with World Vision to provide gifts for children with disabilities.

“When we sold 144 copies of our first newsletter ‘Our Vision’, we made about US $30,” said 18-year-old Viola Qarri, a student of the children’s club. “We wanted to invest this money for the children with disabilities because they have the most needs. We are considering how to invest the money we will collect from the second edition which will be available soon.”

“Today is the first of June, it is a festival like New Year’s, Easter, Mother’s Day,” explained ‘Miss School 2006’ 12-year-old Modesa Petriti.

Modesa is an extremely bright and independent-minded child, who has a disability. “I want to be a lawyer when I grow up because I can work all day on the computer,” she said.

“We are thankful for World Vision’s funding for this special event. There is a very small budget for the school and especially for such an event like this. We almost had to empty our pockets to organise the event until World Vision came knocking at our door,” said the director of the special school.

“Since we have approached the school about organising the celebration, we have been in an ongoing dialogue of providing other needs to the school,” said Elida Jashari, World Vision education staff.

World Vision and Boy Scouts of Vlora city organised a party for some 100 children with disabilities from Vlora city. The scouts also contributed US$150 to the event which World Vision matched, and together they selected and purchased small gifts for all the children as well as cover the rental of the facility.

Children from two children’s clubs aged from six to 14 years of age, organised forums to give students an opportunity to voice their needs and undertake initiatives to improve informal education opportunities.

World Vision continues to promote children as true agents of change in developing a better Albania for children.